Every L&D professional wants to make their training engaging and interactive. With busier work schedules and shorter attention spans, your training has to cut through the noise to make an impact.
The best way to achieve this goal is to incorporate video. After all, the human brain loves visuals — and processes them faster than text. In an age of information overload, video is the magic bullet to reach your audience and help them retain their learning.
Let’s look at some creative and practical ways to integrate video into your L&D programs to make your content not just informative, but truly captivating.
Jump to a specific use case:
- Scenario-Based Training
- Employee Onboarding
- Repurposing Miscellaneous Training Documents
- Training Accessibility
- Micro Learning
- Compliance Training
- Implementing New Tech
[#TOC1]1. Scenario-Based Training[#TOC1]
Scenario-based training replicates real job conditions, making learning more relevant and practical. Often conversational and filled with dialogues, it’s like a dress rehearsal for the real job.
Instead of relying on static visuals that can be a bit of a snooze-fest or live workshops that drain your budget and are hard to replicate, it’s smarter to spice things up with videos.
Imagine embedding videos that set up a situation or case study for a compliance-related topic, which can otherwise be pretty dry. Learners watch the scenario unfold, complete with realistic dialogues and actions.
After the video, learners can dive into questions, quizzes, or polls that challenge their understanding and decision-making skills.
Combining videos with these interactive elements transforms your training into a dynamic and engaging experience that sticks.
[#TOC2]2. Employee Onboarding[#TOC2]
Employee onboarding comes with a ton of details to cover. Reading through endless Notion docs can be overwhelming for new hires, and hopping on calls to explain everything can eat up a lot of time.
Instead, L&D and people ops can use videos to cover the essentials of the 5 Cs of onboarding: compliance, clarification, confidence, connection, and culture.
Break these videos down into bite-sized modules to keep them manageable and engaging. Remember, long videos can be just as overwhelming as long documents.
Pair these videos with written materials to cater to different learning preferences — some people prefer skimming through a document rather than rewinding a video to find specific information.
Videos are also a fantastic way to introduce new employees to your company culture. Include a welcome message from the CEO and employee testimonials to give a personal touch. And don’t forget to inject some fun to make the anxious new joinee feel at ease.
[#TOC3]3. Repurposing Miscellaneous Training Documents[#TOC3]
Imagine creating 25 training decks that nobody reads. They sit there, collecting digital dust, while employees miss out on valuable information.
Instead, you could transform those neglected documents into engaging video content. It’s easier than you think.
Simply take those training decks and voice over the content. You don’t even need to record your own voice — AI voices can do the job perfectly. Implement some B-roll stock footage (or shoot it yourself if you have the resources).
Chop the content into smaller, digestible pieces, and boom, you’ve got a micro-training course.
This approach not only breathes new life into old documents but also increases efficiency. Turning documents into videos makes the content more accessible and engaging, ensuring that the important information actually gets absorbed.
For example, instead of handing new managers a PDF on Diversity and Inclusion (D&I), give them a video like this one:
If you’re looking for a smart way to make your training materials more effective, repurposing them into videos is the way to go.
[#TOC4]4. Training Accessibility[#TOC4]
Ensuring your training is accessible to all employees, including those with disabilities, is crucial for fostering an inclusive workplace. With the growing emphasis on Diversity and Inclusion, it's more important than ever to make sure everyone has equal access to training materials.
One way to do this is by adding subtitles to your training videos. For instance, imagine an instructional video on using new software. By including subtitles, hearing impaired employees can follow along easily, ensuring they receive the same information as their able colleagues.
Another way to ensure accessibility is by providing translations for employees who are less proficient in the main language used in your company. For instance, if you have a diverse team where some members are more comfortable with Spanish or German than English, you can offer Spanish and German translations of your training videos to ensure that these employees fully understand the content, making your training more inclusive and effective.
For example, this sample training video on installing an illumination system uses German subtitles:
By incorporating subtitles and translations into your training videos, you make your content more accessible and demonstrate a commitment to D&I.
[#TOC5]5. Micro Learning[#TOC5]
Employees are already overwhelmed with work, and the last thing they need is an extensive training module that takes hours to complete. A great way to address this is by breaking down the information into tiny, digestible parts.
Enter micro-learning: presenting lessons in the form of short videos.
These bite-sized videos, ranging from 3 to 5 minutes, are perfect for "how-to" tutorials, like demonstrating how to use a new software feature. Short videos work well because they are less intrusive to the flow of work.
An employee may watch a 9-minute video while taking a coffee break, or even as a way to break the monotony of a long task but a 45-minute session can be daunting and may get deprioritized and forgotten.
Micro-learning videos have the feel of social media reels. With platforms like Instagram and Tiktok, people are becoming hard-wired to consume short-form content. When you present training videos in a similar format, employees can easily fit learning into their busy schedules.
In addition, short videos help with repetition, which is crucial for retaining information. According to the forgetting curve, people forget up to 70% of new information within 24 hours and 90% within a week. Short-form videos help employees consistently engage with learning, reinforcing knowledge and improving retention.
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[#TOC6]6. Compliance Training[#TOC6]
Compliance training is crucial for keeping your workplace safe and lawful, covering essential areas like IT security, HR policies, and safety protocols.
Whether it’s about preventing workplace violence, understanding substance abuse, or correctly using personal protective equipment (PPE), these topics can feel dry and overwhelming. Here’s how to use video for each use case:
Data Security
Instead of slogging through lengthy documents on phishing, malware, and data protection, use short, engaging videos. For instance, a video that simulates a phishing attack, showing employees exactly what to watch out for, is a fun and practical way to make sure they don’t fall for these tricks in real life.
HR Policies
For topics like workplace violence, harassment, and substance abuse too, videos can really hit home. They dramatize scenarios and provide clear examples of what’s okay and what’s not, making the lessons more relatable and memorable. For instance, a video that shows the signs of substance abuse and how to respond can be way more impactful than a dry policy document.
Safety Training
Safety training often involves things like how to properly use safety equipment and conducting yourself at work to avoid workplace injuries. Videos are a great way to show all of the safety processes relevant to your industry. Here is a nice example of a safety briefing for an auto mechanic shop, presented in the form of an engaging video:
Pro tips for Using Video in Training Content
- Interactive Elements: add quizzes and interactive elements to your compliance videos to boost engagement and ensure comprehension. For example, after watching a video on PPE, a quick quiz can reinforce the key points and make sure employees get it.
- Real-World Scenarios: use real-world scenarios in your videos to help employees see the relevance of compliance training. For example, a video that includes a case study of a workplace incident followed by a root cause analysis can make the training more practical and relatable.
- Regular Updates: compliance requirements can change frequently. Videos are easy to update and redistribute, ensuring your training materials are always current.
Start creating pro-level compliance training content without pro-level skills. Try VEED now. 👇
[#TOC7]7. Implementing New Tech[#TOC7]
Rolling out new tech like CRMs, VoIP systems, or sales tools can be a game-changer for your business, but your team needs to know how to use it effectively. Using videos to implement new tech makes the transition smoother and more enjoyable.
Your team can learn at their own pace, revisit the content when needed, and feel more confident using the new tools. It’s a win-win!
What's more, it also gives you a chance to explain to your employees about the benefits of making any change in an engaging format. The following sample video (featuring an AI avatar) on why a company wants to move from on-premise computing to cloud-based computing is a great example:
Here are some common tools that warrant videos:
CRM Systems
CRMs are crucial for managing customer interactions but can be intimidating. Instead of a bulky manual, create short, targeted videos. For instance, a 3-minute video on adding a new contact followed by one on tracking sales leads can make learning much easier. Employees can watch at their own pace and rewind as needed.
VoIP Systems
Switching to a new VoIP system can enhance communication but only if everyone knows how to use it. Videos can guide employees through setup, making and receiving calls, and using advanced features like call forwarding. A step-by-step setup video for different devices saves time and reduces frustration.
Sales Tools
New sales tools can boost performance among teams. A video series covering each stage—setup, inputting sales data, tracking metrics, and creating performance reports. These short tutorials can make the tool feel like a helpful ally in closing deals.
Empower Your Employees to Do Their Best with Video
Incorporating video into your L&D programs is a game-changer. Whether it’s onboarding new hires, simplifying complex compliance topics, or rolling out new tech, video makes learning more effective and enjoyable.
And, when you empower your employees to perform at their best, you foster a culture of continuous improvement and engagement. Invest in video-based training and help your team thrive.
